heir studies.
Such was especially the case with Rosie and Lulu, but both Grandma Elsie
and Capt. Raymond were quite firm, though in a kind and gentle way, in
requiring tasks to be well learned before permission was given to lay
them aside for more congenial employment.

Rosie besought her mother very urgently for permission to sit up for an
hour beyond her usual bedtime, in order to make greater progress with
her fancy work for Christmas, but it was not granted.

"No, my dear little daughter," Elsie said, "you need your usual amount
of sleep to keep you in health, and I can not have you deprived of it."

"But, mamma," returned Rosie, a little impatiently, "I'm sure it
couldn't do me any great amount of damage to try it a few times, and I
really think you might allow me to do so."

"My daughter must try to believe that her mother knows best," was the
grave, though gently spoken rejoinder.

"I think it is a little hard, mamma," pouted Rosie; "I'm almost grown up
and it's so pleasant in the parlor where you are all talking
together--especially now that Cousin Ronald is here--that it does seem
too bad to have to run away from it all an hour before you older folks
separate for the night. I'd feel it hard even if I wasn't wanting more
time for my fancy work for Christmas."

"A little girl with so foolish and unkind a mother as yours is certainly
much to be pitied," Mrs. Travilla remarked in reply.

"Mamma, I did not mean that; I could never think or speak of you in that
way," returned Rosie, blushing vividly and hanging her head.

"If you had overheard Lulu addressing the remarks to her father that you
have just made to me, would you have taken them as evidence of her
confidence in his wisdom and love for her?" asked her mother; and Rosie
was obliged to acknowledge that she would not.

"Please forgive me, mamma dear," she said penitently. "I'll not talk so
again. I haven't earned my quarter for good behavior to-day. I'm quite
aware of that."

"No, my child, I am sorry to have to say you have not," sighed her
mother.

It was one afternoon in the second week after Mr. Lilburn's arrival that
this conversation between Rosie and her mother was held.

At the same hour Max and Lulu were in their work-room at home, busily
carving. Since their dismissal from that morning's tasks, they had spent
every moment of time at that work, except what had necessarily been
given to the eating of their dinner.

Presently their fath